Episode 408: Dennis Firth

When Harry Troy sang the praises of Dennis Firth in a podcast last year, I made it my business to track down the former 16 time western districts premiership winner. Dennis is now 72 years of age, and still residing in his much loved hometown of Coonamble. He’s the kind of bloke who’s not comfortable talking about his own achievements but after a little coaxing he hit top gear. Den humbly acknowledges the fact that he rode 1499 winners in an era when racing was held only once a week in the bush. He’s adamant that a training career was never in the mix. Dennis says his retirement wasn’t planned. It materialised following a race fall. The former outstanding jockey talks about a family history in Coonamble dating back to the late 19th century. He talks of his father George who was an in demand farrier in the district. Dennis looks back on the days when he would sneak onto the local racecourse early mornings with his trusty pony, and match strides with the thoroughbreds for a short distance. This was the catalyst for his later career. He says he stayed at school longer than most but showed no special aptitude in the classroom. Dennis looks back on his good fortune in gaining an apprenticeship with the extraordinary horseman John Lundholm. He pays tribute to John and wife Colleen. The former ace jockey has never forgotten his very first race ride at Gulargambone. He says it was a “slaughter”. His first win came later at Gilgandra. Dennis was a fairly frequent visitor to the city in his early years. He remembers his first metropolitan win on Bid Day at Randwick. He says other Sydney trainers occasionally sought the benefit of his claim. He tells the story of the Warwick Farm trainer who introduced him to fluid pills. The results were disastrous. Dennis talks of a Randwick win on Conra during the 1975 AJC Autumn Carnival. This was the day he met Conra’s owner, the celebrated owner and breeder Stanley Wootton.  He remembers other winning days in town. He wore a famous set of colours when he won a race on Ballad, owned by AJC Chairman Sir Brian Crowley. Dennis recalls winning a race at Warwick Farm on Skipper King which earned him a special 2GB sponsor’s award. He still has the trophy. Firth looks back on his one and only ride in a Gr 1 race. The conditions at Randwick were deplorable when he went around in the 1989 Sydney Cup. He talks of Marlotta, the mare he rode in that Sydney Cup. he says she was one of the best horses he rode in the western districts.  Like his good friend Harry Troy, Dennis had one race ride on the real Fine Cotton. He says the horse he rode couldn’t possibly have won a race at Eagle Farm. Dennis nominates the horse he believes was potentially a top liner. He won some country races on the talented but unsound Gun Drift, a son of Gunsynd. He acknowledges Lord Dante, the tough old bush warrior he partnered in 25 wins. Dennis talks about some of the faraway meetings he patronised. He looks back on many multiple win days, and his enviable record in country Cup races. Dennis pays tribute to some of the wonderful bush jockeys who provided tough opposition on the western tracks. He remembers his loving mother Joan who died only last year at the remarkable age of 94.  Dennis talks of brother Rodney, and sisters Annette and Wendy. He pays tribute to Wendy’s husband Brian Fletcher, long time CEO of the Hawkesbury Race Club and now occupying a similar role with the Panthers Group. He tells a funny little story about his brother-in-law at the Walgett races. Older racing people in the western region will have fond memories of the brilliant young jockey who wouldn’t stop winning premierships. This is his story.